Before Taiwan acquired the AH-1W, the ROCA had used the UH-1H fitted with
2.75-in rocket launchers to fulfill the gunship role.
Then in 1991, Taiwan requested the purchase of 18 AH-1W and
12 OH-58D from the U.S. under the program codenamed "Lu Peng",
to improve the attack capability of ROCA's helicopter fleet.
The letter of acceptance was signed in February 1992 and
nine were delivered to ROCA in April 1993, thus making Taiwan the second
foreign operator of the Supercobra (Turkey is the first).
Along with these helicopters, 1000 AGM-114C Hellfire anti-tank missiles and
about 300 AIM-9S Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were also ordered.
By April 1995, Taiwan had ordered another three batches of eight AH-1W, bringing the total
ordered to 42.
These helicopters were to equip to two attack helicopter groups.

In 1997, Taiwan made another request for 21 additional AH-1W to equip the third group.
The contract for the first 9 helicopters was awarded on October 3,
and that for the remaining 12 on December 19.
Delivery of all 21 AH-1W had been completed in 2001.

During their service with the ROCA, Taiwan's AH-1W had been retrofitted with
NTSF-65 Night Targeting System (NTS) and the AN/ALQ-144 infrared countermeasure system.
In the spring of 1999, two AH-1W helicopter simulators, worth almost $7 million, were ordered
from Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation for training the crew.

The Ministry of National Defense initiated an extensive re-organization program in 1997,
resulting in the establishment of Air Cavalry Brigades in the ROCA.
The AH-1W are now assigned to the Attack Helicopter Battalion in each Brigade.

Fleet Images

501

502

503

504

505

506

507

508

509

510

511

512

513

514

515

516

517

518

519

520

521

522

523

524

525

526

527

528

529

530

531

532

533

534

535

536

537

538

539

540

541

542

543

544

545

546

547 (Photo by Jason Tu)

548

549 (Photo by Jason Tu)

550 (Photo by Jason Tu)

551

552

553

554

555

556

557

558

559

560

561

562

563

Fleet Information

Tail No.

Serial No.

Constr. No.

Remark

501

164913

26701

502

164914

26703

503

164915

26704

504

164916

26705

505

164917

26706

506

164918

26707

507

164919

26708

508

164920

26709

509

164921

26710

510

164922

26711

511

164923

26712

512

164924

26713

513

164925

26714

514

164926

26715

515

164927

26716

516

164928

26717

517

164929

26718

518

164930

26719

519

164931

26720

520

164932

26721

521

164933

26722

522

164934

26723

523

164935

26724

524

164936

26725

525

164937

26726

526

164938

26727

w/o 07/17/991

527

165334

26728

528

165335

26729

529

165336

26730

530

165337

26731

531

165338

26732

532

165339

26733

Tail No.

Serial No.

Constr. No.

Remark

533

165340

26734

534

165341

26735

535

165370

536

165371

537

165372

538

165373

539

165374

540

165375

541

165376

542

165377

543

165545

544

165546

545

165547

546

165548

547

165549

548

165550

549

165551

550

165552

551

165553

552

165554

553

165555

554

165556

555

165557

556

165558

557

165559

558

165560

559

165561

560

165562

561

165563

562

165564

563

165565

1During a training mission on July 17, 1999, AH-1W 526, assigned to
the 602nd Air Cavalry Brigade, deviated from its designated course without
authorization and subsequently crashed into a dam.
The crew of two were both killed.
The wreckage was salvaged on August 9.

Details & Weapons

Left:
The front view of the AH-1W shows a distinctive bulged cheek,
which houses the BGM-71 TOW missile system avionics.
From left to right, this AH-1W carries a 4-round AGM-114 Hellfire missile launcher,
an M260 rocket launcher,
an M261 rocket launcher,
and a 4-round TOW missile launcher.
Barely noticeable in the cockpit is the heads-up display for the pilot.

Right: In the AH-1W the co-pilot/gunner occupies the front cockpit,
while the pilot sits in the rear armored seat.

Left: The NTSF-65 Night Targeting System (NTS) is a modification of the
M-65 daytime sighting system.
It comprises a FLIR, CCD TV, and laser designator/rangefinder.
Along with the NTS upgrade, Taiwan's early AH-1W received the Cockpit Canopy Modification
that replaced canopy, nose section, and front instrument panel.
Under the NTS turret is the M197 three-barrel 20-mm rotary cannon.
750 rounds are carried aft the M197 turret.
The maximum rate of fire is 650 per minute, although the gun is limited to single
bursts of 16 rounds.

Right: The binocular sight for the NTS is located in the front cockpit.
To the left of it are the control switches.

Left: At the root of the tail is the rear radar warning receiver.
The tail protection skid also can be seen.

Right:
Taiwan ordered 1000 AGM-114C Hellfire missiles in 1992 and
240 AGM-114K3 Hellfire II in 1999, to equip both AH-1W and OH-58D.
Hellfires can fired by either the gunner or the pilot from the AH-1W.
Note that the four inert rounds retain the U.S. Army markings.

Left:
The AGM-114 missile launcher and the M260 7-tube 70-mm (2.75-in) rocket launcher under the starboard stub wing.
On top of the stub wing is the AN/ALE-39 chaff/flare dispenser for passive self-defense.
The navigation light and an NVG formation light can be seen on the wingtip.

Right: The M261 19-tube rocket launcher and the BGM-71 missile launcher under the port stub wing.